Guard animals for minis, plus family pet

[Happy Valley]

I am not in need of any more dogs, as we have a St. Bernard, pug and poodle/pom in the house now, but we also have a coyote problem, as well as a feral dog pack or two thanks to a neighbor who puts food out.

Our dogs bark to alert, but the St B. is a wuss. The pom/poo is the bravest but she weighs only 8 pounds. The pug is a tater. (couch) I know NOTHING about Llamas other than they can't bond with humans and be effective as guardians.

What to do? My dogs always end up in the house. I've heard that both Mastiffs and Caucasian Mountian Dogs (Ovcharka) make fine guards even if they are in the house with the people. (I have a three year old, by the way) We can handle another dog or two...I just would like to know if anyone else has an opinion here about this.

Thanks,

Stacye

 

[tifflunn]

I have an English Mastiff- and I can speak for only the one I know- They will probablly make a wonderful companion to that cute little pug on the couch. My is very child friendly if they can duck the swinging tail- and the big slobbery kisses. He makes a great guard dog( as people see him and go no farther). I can't speak for livestock protection- but they are very attached to there humans. Good luck!

Tiffany

 

[Sterling]

I just posted this on the main forum and thought I'd copy it here too.

Hi Stacye. My Cane Corso, Lakota who is 8 months old right now seems to take to guarding "her" property natually. We got her when she was a few weeks old and from day one I introduced her to the minis and the livestock on the farm. I can't give an opinion on llamas, or the other guard dog breeds as I don't have experience with them. One thing I will say for the Cane Corsos, is that they bond quickly and fiercly with their family other pets in the household.....and tend to be very good and gentle with children. Of course there are as with any breed the exception to the rule, you would have to introduce them to these things from day one. My little girl is joined with me at the hip, never leaves my side if at all possible and when I go out to the horses, and she's outside the corral, she's watching my every move, and when left to go out on her own, I watch her from inside skirting the perimeter of the property line looking, investigating, and guarding.

At 8 months old she has just started finishing school. We have noticed that she is more assertive in her personality now and see where if these dogs don't get started young "can" be a handful. Socialize is the key....keep their minds occupied and keep horses and your farm animals an everyday occurence for her and she will consider it "hers". She should guard and protect without agression.

I'm sure there are others here on the forum that could help you with other breeds, donkeys or llamas as Livestock Guardians. Good luck in your decision and let us know what you decide to choose!

Lakota watching "her horses"

Lakota up close and personal with "her" horse Manny

 

[Miniv]

I can't comment much about the guard dog breeds, but we have a pair of Llamas and we have just recently acquired a couple of young mini donkey jacks.

The donkeys haven't shown any guarding tendancies yet, but they are still young. I've been TOLD they make good alarms and they kick if they feel threatoned. (Our little guys don't know they can kick yet!)

The two adult llamas have charged at a couple of unfamiliar dogs that got into their pasture, so they have proved themselves. We keep them in with our youngest minis, which I feel are the most vulnerable. And we do have a pack of coyotes in the area. I've seen individuals in our neighbor's pastures and we hear the pack at night, but I have never seen them on our own property.

One thing about llamas.....They can bond to humans if they've been imprinted on as a youngster. Every year our llamas have a cria and we tend to love on it. The crias have each ended up very friendly to people. However, the two adults came from a large breeder that didn't handle them too much and they are aloof.

MA

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Sterling, Is your property completely fenced or has Lakota figured out where it is?? Thats our drawback to having one. God forbid it should step onto our neighbors yard...... it would be arrested. Happened with our pyr Heidi.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Sterling]

Lyn.....Most of the back property is fenced with split rail cedar fencing and welded wire as a backdrop.....some of the corrals have field fencing as a partition. Some of the front portion is open. Even the very back pasture altho it is not backed with welded wire fencing, I have had her follow the boys on occasion while I was turning them out, and she follows her horses in the pasture, but when she sees me turning to go, she's back at my heels and leaves her boys to their playing.

Its funny tho she knows exactly where her property line is, because when we take her off the property and are on our way back without me even leading her, I put her on a loose leash, and even before I turn to come onto the property she is already heading that way.

I have to say one thing I have thought about should we decide to relocate to another farm, you never know who your neighbors are going to be and if they're gonna "him and haw" about your dogs or horses. We've lucked out with our neighbors, everyone watches out for everyone else, and knows everyone else's dogs, it's not a problem. If someone's dog gets loose, we immediately call each other and contain the dog before it gets into any trouble.

 

[RNR]

Well all I can add is about my DONKEY! HE has proven that he can gaurd the goats I have not seen any proof of the horses yet! We had a dog chasing one of the goats and he steped between them and nailed the dog and that dog has nver chased the goats again!

But that is just my donkey I can't speak for others!

RNR